The present invention relates to a waterproof connecting structure for a connector for connecting electric wires in an interior and an exterior of a driver's space of a motor vehicle or the like to each other through a panel.
An electric cord of great length for an electric appliance needs to be inserted through the panel of the door or body of a motor vehicle or the like. In that case, a hole is made in the panel to insert the electric cord through it. However, it is very troublesome to insert the electric cord of great length through the hole of the panel, and it is likely that the cord will be inserted in the wrong direction through the hole. To cope with these problems, electric cords each having a smaller length can be connected to each other by a connector in the hole of the panel so that it is unnecessary to insert the electric cord of great length through the hole of the panel. The efficiency of work can thus be improved.
A conventional waterproof connecting structure for such improvement was disclosed in the Japanese Utility Model Application (OPI) No. 117622/85 (the term "OPI" as used herein means an "unexamined published application"). The connecting structure is described with reference to FIG. 1 from now on. FIG. 1 shows a panel 7, a hole 7a provided in the panel, a connector holder 20 secured in the hole, connector elements 8 connected to an exterior electric cord 10', connector elements 9 opposed to the connector elements 8 which are connected to an interior electric cord 10 and secured to the connector holder, and a grommet 11 attached to the exterior electric cord and fitted in the hole. To connect the interior and the exterior electric cords 10 and 10' to each other by the connecting structure, the connector elements 9 are first secured to the connector holder 20, the other connector elements 8 are then fitted in the connector case, and the grommet 11 is thereafter fitted in the hole 7a of the panel 7.
Since the grommet 11 provided on the exterior electric cord 10' is fitted in the hole 7a of the panel 7 in a waterproof manner, the conventional waterproof connecting structure has a disadvantage that only one pair of the interior and the exterior electric cords 10 and 10' can be connected to each other through the single hole of the panel.